In order to tell the truth, you have to say something.

Truth telling and Stonewalling are as
matter and anti-matter.

They can not exist together.
It is one, or the other.

If standards include telling the truth,
then stonewalling is not allowed.


If the highest standard of conduct is "not to lie",
then it is.


You have to understand that stonewalling means no.

You have to accept that stonewalling means no.

It means the same thing as saying no, out loud.


Especially when the question is;

Do you intend to tell the truth?

The Student Standard of Conduct requires students
to tell the truth.

We teach them that their good character depends on their
telling the truth.

We illustrate the point with a story about George Washington,
and about how he told the truth.

What utter hypocrisy to tell students one thing and then
show them something else entirely.

If this is too high a standard of conduct for public servants,
then it is too high a standard for students.

But this has already been decided and we have made it very
clear that we do not think the Pillars of Character Counts!
is too high a standard of conduct for the 87,000 of our sons
and daughters in the APS.

Nor do we thing that it is too high of a standard of conduct
for board members and administrators.

Telling the truth would be among the standards of conduct
for board members and administrators, except that
they wrote them out.

Accountability for truth telling was removed from their
code of conduct when they removed the phrase;

in no case shall the standard of conduct for an adult,
be lower than the standard of conduct for students.

The leadership of the APS are accountable as role models
of the Student Standard of Conduct

whether they like it or not. Whether they accept it or not.

They can not simply write accountability as role models,
out of their own standards of conduct.

We teach students that their good character requires
holding oneself honestly accountable
to a higher standard of conduct than the law.

Every generation expects the next generation
to be the first generation
that actually holds itself honestly accountable
to some meaningful standards of conduct.

If we really want students to grow into adults who embrace
character and courage and honor,
someone has to show them what it looks like.

And that particular kind of leadership starts at the top,
and must be manifest in their personal example.

They think they are too powerful to be held accountable
for their conduct and their competence.

Honest accountability to meaningful standards of conduct
and competence,

will have to be thrust upon them against their will,

... or it will not happen at all.